1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a method and system for routing telephone service calls, including directory information, operator-assistance, and service repair calls made from resold lines. More particularly, this invention is directed to a method and system that routes service calls from resold lines using hybrid advanced intelligent network and switching functionality.
2. Background
The current telecommunications market includes a group of incumbent local exchange carriers (“ILECs”) that own switching infrastructures and possess intelligent network capabilities. Each ILEC provides local telephone service for a particular geographic region of the country. This group of ILECs has existed for many years, and only recently have smaller carriers attempted to enter the market to establish a foothold. To enter the market, a carrier would be required to create its own switching infrastructure and intelligent network capabilities. Such a project would require the carrier to construct new telephone lines and cables, route those lines to each desired home, and create the necessary switching functionality. Clearly, this effort would cost millions, perhaps billions, of dollars for each emerging carrier.
Pursuant to the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the FCC has mandated certain “interconnection” requirements to make it easier for new carriers to enter a local telecommunications market. In FCC Report & Order in the matter of Local Competition, docket 96-98 released Aug. 8, 1996, the FCC required ILECs to “unbundle” certain elements of their existing telecommunications network. “Unbundling” is a regulatory requirement providing competitive local exchange carriers (“CLECs”) or other service providers the ability to separately lease discrete functional components of an ILEC's network to provide service. An unbundled local loop, for example, is an ILEC-provided transmission path between, and including, the customer network interface (e.g., the jack) located at the end-customer's premises and the central office loop termination located in the ILEC's central office building. As another example, an unbundled port provides a service provider with local switching functionality, separate from the local loop, on an ILEC's switch as an alternative to providing a stand-alone switch. Numerous components may be unbundled, including the local loop, switch ports, and Advanced Intelligent Network (“AIN”) triggers. If the loop and the port are rented to a service provider, however, the entire line is considered “resold.”
In a resale environment, end customers on resold lines may still obtain certain services, such as operator-assisted service, directory information service (“411” and LNPA-555-1212, where “LNPA” is the Local Numbering Plan Area (i.e., the area code)), repair service (“611”), LNPA-555-1212 calls, and 976/900 number blocking, for example. Although the line has been resold, the customer remains connected to the ILEC's switch. Thus, when a resold customer dials 411 or 611, she will be connected to the ILEC's directory assistance operator or repair service operator, respectively. The customer will receive a bill from the service provider that owns the resold line. This scenario is often undesirable for the service provider. The service provider would prefer the option of having such calls be routed to its own operators who can provide a specific type of service.
To allow service providers to select their own locations for handling service calls, certain ILECs have incorporated methods within their network to identify individual lines as being resold. The use of line class codes is one such method for identifying resold lines. A line class code is a code within the ILEC's end office switch that is used to index a routing profile for a particular class of service. Each class of service, including various configurations of residential and business services, is assigned a line class code. The switch uses the line class code to determine the proper routing for the call. Each time a new service provider is introduced, a new set of line class codes corresponding to the existing line class codes may be assigned. This solution is not entirely feasible because a new line class code must be assigned potentially for every class of service and for every carrier. Moreover, the line class codes must be replicated in every switch. While ILECs have taken measures to prevent running out of line class codes, these codes are still considered limited resources.
Alternatively, ELECs may add new software directly to the switch to determine the proper routing for service calls made on resold lines. This would require modifying each switch in the ILEC's network. Switch vendors, however, have indicated that the capability to implement such modifications is years away and would be prohibitively expensive. In addition, making routing modifications in every switch would be very time-consuming.
The use of a pure advanced intelligent network (“AIN”) method is a third option for ILECs. In an AIN environment, network nodes work autonomously and make decisions on routing and call handling without human intervention. Databases are often used to store information on how certain calls should be routed, or how calls should be handled. AIN triggers are also used to instruct various nodes on where to route calls and/or how to handle such calls. Unfortunately, the pure AIN solution has drawbacks. First, all of the ILEC's switches may not be AINN-compatible, thus making a complete AIN solution impossible. Second, all calls do not automatically cause an AIN trigger to fire. Thus, certain nodes would not detect certain calls as having been made from a resold line. As a result, such call would not be properly routed to the service provider's desired location.